Update on Richmond District attempted carjacking in Safeway parking lot

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- ABC7 News has learned one of the teenagers police believe was involved in a carjacking attempt in San Francisco's Richmond district is facing shoplifting charges in Contra Costa County.

Court documents show 19-year old Trejor Barber was arrested for misdemeanor shoplifting in Pittsburg in August. Barber is due to be arraigned next week in Martinez. San Francisco police say Barber was one of three people on scene when the attempted carjacking happened in the parking lot of the Richmond neighborhood Safeway in March.

ABC7 has learned there is no case pending against Barber for the Richmond incident, because the District Attorney's office declined to file charges, due to lack of sufficient evidence.

A juvenile was also arrested for the March attempted carjacking.

ABC7 News' Dion Lim reported in May that charges against the juvenile were dropped, based on information from high-level police sources. However, we have learned the teenager remains in custody. Because the case is being kept confidential to protect the juvenile, we cannot confirm through the legal system the status of any charges.

The District Attorney's office will not confirm to ABC7 News if charges are still pending against the juvenile.

We received this statement from the District Attorney's office spokesperson, Rachel Marshall:

"As we said previously to Ms. Lim, we are prohibited by law from confirming or denying that a juvenile case exists to anyone who is not directly involved. What I can tell you is that we can share information a victim or witness tells us with their consent. Victims and witnesses are entitled to know details that the public is not, and indeed, we are obligated to keep them informed."

The Washington Post reported earlier this week that the DA's office told the victim and a witness that the juvenile still faces charges and had a court date last week.

Original May 21 story below.

There has been a bombshell development in the case of an older woman who was assaulted in an attempted carjacking in San Francisco earlier this year. Sources tell ABC7 News anchor Dion Lim that felony charges against one of the suspects were dropped by the district attorney.

Now the victim herself, speaking through her son, is reacting, as well as the Good Samaritan who saved her.

"This is cut and dry. I watched them beat this old woman and drop her across the concrete," says the Good Samaritan, who doesn't want to be identified. He witnessed the 75-year-old victim return to her vehicle at a Richmond District Safeway and get grabbed by the hair and dragged along the pavement in an attempted daytime carjacking.

"I just punched through the back window and it was loud. Loud enough and kind of scary enough to freak them out," he told ABC7 News back in March after the incident happened.

Multiple suspects were involved, including one minor who was arrested shortly after and charged with robbery, elder abuse, aggravated assault and conspiracy.

Lim discovered via multiple sources that the district attorney dropped all charges for that minor, citing lack of DNA evidence. (see clarification above)

That outraged the Good Samaritan.

"I really put myself in a position where I could have lost my life...I would have hoped we could have seen some kind of justice."

It also prompted the victim herself to provide this quote, saying in part: "That is truly pathetic. Give a bunch of thieves some gloves and let them loose to do whatever they want and to enjoy stolen money."

Lim reached out to the district attorney's office for an explanation on why the charges were dropped. Chesa Boudin's director of communications, Rachel Marshall, wrote back saying they were "legally prohibited from discussing anything related to a juvenile case" and went on to say this should not be "interpreted as confirming or denying anything about the case status."

Multiple high-level sources confirmed to Lim the DA's office dropped charges. (see clarification above)

A source within the DA's office who has filed hundreds of cases tells Lim it is illogical not to file this case given the state of the evidence.

That evidence includes surveillance video from multiple angles and witness accounts, including from the Good Samaritan.

"I believe in restorative justice and I understand Chesa has a model but...his way of going about it is not working," he says.

As of publication, Marshall did not respond to a request to clarify the office's response to learn more about the other suspects, who are not minors.

This is a story ABC7 News will continue to follow.